Freight market

摘要

Owners of sea-river fleet keep striving for higher rates in the Azov Sea, although no further increase in trade has been seen thisweek. The tonnage supply is quite sufficient. Moreover, given improving ice conditions, the restrictions on vessel age were canceledin the Russian ports this week. However, the freight rates keep climbing up in the Azov Sea ($1-2/t up over the week) due to regularshipments of grain and adverse weather conditions. So, deals for transportation of 3,000 t of wheat from Rostov/Azov to the Marmara Seaare now negotiated at $32-33/t. Charterers offer $45-46/t for shipment of a similar lot of grain from Azov to Mersin; meanwhile, someowners are even aiming at more than $50/t, as they do not want to fix vessels for longhaul trips.